Beware Tech Tycoons with Piranha Tanks - with Katie Prescott

Beware Tech Tycoons with Piranha Tanks - with Katie Prescott

Author: Pushkin Industries May 1, 2026 Duration: 40:42

Mike Lynch was often lauded as Britain's answer to Bill Gates. Born into a working-class family, Lynch's incredible intellect and passion for computers led him to become a billionaire tech entrepreneur. But behind the scenes, Lynch was a bully who couldn't bear criticism and was prone to creative accounting. When computer giant Hewlett Packard bought his company, Autonomy, it triggered one of the biggest fraud scandals in Silicon Valley history. Tim talks to Katie Prescott, Technology Business Editor at The Times and author of the book The Curious Case of Mike Lynchabout the lessons we can take from a story no one could have predicted.

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There’s a reason we share scary stories-not just to entertain, but to learn. Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford applies that same instinct to the real world, digging into history’s most fascinating blunders and disasters to uncover what they can teach us today. Brought to you by Pushkin Industries, each episode feels like a masterfully told story, where Tim Harford-known for his work at the Financial Times, the BBC, and as author of “The Data Detective”-unpacks a single event. You’ll hear about catastrophic business decisions, scientific hubris, and public policy fiascos, all presented with a blend of narrative flair and sharp analysis. This isn’t just a history podcast; it’s a deep dive into human nature, decision-making, and the unexpected consequences that ripple from a single mistake. Listening feels like having a brilliantly insightful guide explain why things went so terribly, or hilariously, wrong. The stories are gripping on their own, but the real value lies in the lessons they make tangible for our own lives and choices. If you’ve ever wondered how a group of smart people could make a disastrous call, or how a seemingly small error snowballed into legend, this is the podcast for you. New episodes arrive every Friday, ready to transform a true tale of error into a lasting piece of wisdom.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford
Podcast Episodes
Flixborough: The Factory that was Wiped off the Map [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:30
A megaplant near the small village of Flixborough, England, is busy churning out a key ingredient of nylon 6, a material used in everything from stockings to toothbrushes to electronics. When a reactor vessel fails, the…
The Disappearance of Grace Oakeshott [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:20
At the start of the 20th century, Britain was slowly becoming a freer place for women. Young Grace Oakeshott seized every opportunity to learn and improve the world around her - though she found those opportunities frust…
Your Chance to Attend a Cautionary Tales Table Read [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:41
Ever wished you could be a fly on the wall while Cautionary Tales is being made? Now you can. We just launched the Cautionary Club - our new Patreon community for Cautionary Tales fans who want to go deeper. If you sign…
Homo deceptus: Science's Dirty Little Secret [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:56
In 1912, a fossil discovery shakes the scientific world. Piltdown Man is the elusive missing link between humans and their ape-like ancestors. Forty years later, a researcher at the Natural History Museum gets a chance t…
Kyoto: The Battle that Defined Climate Politics - with Joe Robertson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:19
Misinformation, double-dealing, character assassination - lobbyist Don Pearlman will stop at nothing to prevent the world from agreeing to cut carbon emissions. This arch disrupter, who works for fossil fuel companies an…
Presenting: Twenty Thousand Hertz [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:13
When Satanic Panic ripped through America, rock music was in the crosshairs. Could songs contain secret backwards messages urging children to take drugs and worship the devil? This special episode is from Twenty Thousand…
The Treasure Hunt that Broke America (Part 2) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:42
Forrest Fenn’s legendary treasure hunt ignites a nationwide obsession. The thrill of adventure, the promise of gold, and the call of the wild entice many seekers into the quest. Over time, excitement gives way to conspir…
The Treasure Hunt that Broke America (Part 1) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:27
Forrest Fenn never does things the regular way. Despite no formal training and little knowledge of art, he becomes a millionaire gallery owner. An outsider by nature, Fenn’s charm, audacity, and disregard for convention…
The Truth About Hansel and Gretel (Classic) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:48
Was the fairy tale of Hansel and Gretel - the story of a woodcutter’s children abandoned in the woods and left at the mercy of a witch - in fact, early true crime? A hit book - The Truth About Hansel and Gretel - said th…